The Perfect Fit

A wise man once told me:

"When you're struggling to fit in, you gotta find the places that feel like home because they're not going to find you."

And I was shook.

We all spend a good amount of time figuring out who we are, what we want to do/be, and where we fit in the world. I've certainly spent my fair share of time finding myself and I probably forever will. I firmly believe that the moment you don't think there's anything to learn about yourself or the world, is the moment you have stopped growing.

To have the journey of life summed up so simply opened my eyes. I often complicate things with anxiety and overthinking. Having an outsider challenge me to think differently often leads me to gain new and beneficial perspective.

Because I'm inherently a planner, I've had this whole life thing on a step by step plan since I was born. I popped out with a to do list. And yet I've spent many nights wondering where I fit in and if what I'm doing is where I'm supposed to be.

What better way to figure those things out than to simply to what I love and do that every day? I like to read. Why am I not engaging with other friends who love to read and talking to them about this passion? I love being active. Why am I not going to the classes I love with the people I love? I'm active in philanthropy. Why am I not volunteering with other friends who are just as active?

It seems daunting to immerse yourself in the passions that fuel you but when you realize you're doing these things anyways, it makes it a hell of a lot easier to see where you can incorporate others and expand those passions. Perhaps even create a lifeblood out of passions you never knew could become so?

We aren't the generation our parents lived in. Nobody is really joining clubs or active in their alumni groups but we are invested in the things these circles represent. The modern day equivalent is trivia night, class pass, food festivals, and tailgates.

When you look around, you're already participating in your passions in some way. But if you're still not living life the way you want to, or concerned you're not fitting into the spaces you're currently living in - re-evaluate what makes you feel alive and do that. Change where you're spending your time and when you seek the things that make you happiest, you will in turn fit in and feel confident in where you belong.

Meditation Monday

Cool, so it's Friday. But Meditation Friday doesn't sound right. I brought you daily mantras last month and this month I'm expanding our hippie lifestyle to include meditation. 

I've always been a skeptic of meditation. I can't sit still longer than 5 minutes without seeing a shiny object and abandoning the stillness for more exciting adventures. 

Recently, I discovered an app called Headspace. It's free for the basic sessions and then you can subscribe to more advanced levels as you progress in your practice. 

Headspace is the first and only experience I've ever had with meditation. This is not an ad, I downloaded the app at the recommendation of a Psychologist that is heavily respected in his field. 

You start out meditating for 3 minutes. And as easy as that sounds, I've got ADHD and anxiety - getting me to focus on nothing for 3 minutes and just feeling my body in its current space - that's damn near impossible. But I challenged myself to commit to 5 days of the introductory course and I did it!

It certainly wasn't easy, but it's definitely been beneficial to me and calming my anxious thoughts before bed. For me, bedtime is where I struggle. It takes me ages to fall asleep and I don't remember the last time I've slept through the night. Taking a few minutes to clear my head before I go to sleep has helped me to have more success in my snoozing habits.

Now I have to be honest, I did fall off the Headspace meditation game for a few weeks while I was abroad. But the cool thing is, it's so easy to catch back up with whenever you are able to make the time. 

I'm a big fan of the specific categories they offer within the app as well. There's sleep, flying, school, work, EVERYTHING that keeps us stressing in the world. 

The best part - it's not a bunch of hippie nonsense that weirds me out. It's simple, straightforward, and just asks you to get in tune with yourself. 

If you're looking for some natural help with anxiety, stress, or fears, download Headpsace and give meditation a try for 5 days. If it doesn't work for you, you've really only wasted a good 15 minutes of your life, and we all know you waste way more time than that tagging friends in memes.